Online content has been used as a vector for launching phishing attacks and other types of scams. Generally referred to as deceptive online content, some online content is designed to deceive internet users and scam or steal their information. An example of deceptive online content may be online advertisements. For example, a scammer may design an ad that appears to be promoting a service offered by a reputable company. However, the ad may be configured such that when a user clicks on the ad, the user is redirected to a phishing website intended to steal the user's login credentials, credit card information, or other personal information. As another example, scammers have created ads that purport to offer a chance to win free goods/services but are in fact intended only to collect personal information. Such ads may be generally referred to as “deceptive ads” and can be contrasted with ads for legitimate goods and services.
In addition, online advertising is an important source of revenue for many businesses, including publishers, content providers, and service providers. Online advertising is also a primary source of income for many independent journalists, authors, and artists.
Existing ad-blocking tools are designed to identify and block advertising in a content-neutral manner, for example by blocking all content that originates from a particular network address or domain. Existing tools do not differentiate between deceptive ads and legitimate ads. While such indiscriminate ad blocking may be desirable by some users, it is unsustainable for publishers and other websites that rely on advertising revenue to operate. As a result, website operators are increasingly employing techniques to detect ad-blockers and prevent users from accessing their sites while using ad-blockers.